USC's NFL draft history grew in stature at one Super Bowl
USC's NFL draft history contains an abundance of success stories. One big milestone was achieved in Super Bowl IX between the Steelers and Vikings
Super Bowl IX was not an elegant game. The Pittsburgh Steelers shut down the Minnesota Vikings, 16-6, on a cold and windy day in Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Among the 60 Super Bowls which have been played, this was not one of the better ones.
Yet, this game is historic relative to USC football and the NFL draft. We noted this point several years ago: "When Lynn Swann of the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 21 pick, 1974 NFL Draft) and Steve Riley of the Minnesota Vikings (No.
25 pick in the 1974 Draft) met in Super Bowl IX, it marked the first time that two first-round USC NFL Draft picks played against each other in the Super Bowl. " Steve Riley isn't a household name, but he helped make NFL draft history for USC alongside Swann, a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players in Super Bowl history. Swann was Super Bowl MVP one year after Super Bowl IX.
He owned Super Bowl X against the Dallas Cowboys in 1976 with a stack of incredible catches in one game. One could make the argument that Lynn Swann in Super Bowl X represents the greatest single-game performance by any receiver, ever. This was not the last time two first-round NFL draft picks from USC played against each other in the Super Bowl.